The world’s first official Barbie-themed cafe opens in Taiwan

There won’t be any Barbie look-a-likes serving customers at the Taipei cafe, but diners will be encouraged to eat like her with a menu filled with calorie-conscious options.

— Samantha Shankman

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Tea, tutus and an overdose of pink are prominent on the menu at a just-opened Taipei cafe dedicated to all things Barbie.

Aficionados of the world’s most famous doll can now gather to feast on light meals and an array of desserts adorned with the Barbie logo while seated at pink tables on chairs decorated with pink corsets and frothy tutus – pink, of course.

“Every little girl has a Barbie in childhood,” said Henry Chiu, president of Sinlaku Taiwan Co Ltd and the owner of the cafe. “Barbie is a dream for a little girl. We want to make girls’ dreams come true and build a fantasy world for them.”

The store opened in the Taiwanese capital on Jan 30 after years of preparation and an investment of more than 50 million Taiwan dollars ($1.7 million) – the first such cafe authorized by Barbie-maker Mattel Inc .

Fans were quick with their praise.

“I feel like a Barbie doll in a fairy tale world, I feel like a princess,” said Shiao Yu, a 30-year-old housewife on a visit to the cafe. “It’s very dreamy.”

A typical repast, offered at lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, costs 300 Taiwan dollars ($10) and gives at least a nod to health-consciousness.

“The menu is designed to show the calories of each dish,” said He Chia-ling, 28, who works in marketing. “So office ladies like us can eat and still be fit and healthy like Barbie.”